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history |
Gaelic services began in the choir of St Nicholas Church around 1778. The services were well attended and the congregation grew to such an extent that the choir could no longer accommodate them, so they moved to St Mary's Chapel in the crypt of St Nicholas. The congregation called its own minister in 1781, and as the church continued to grow a new chapel was built in Belmont Street. In 1843 the current minister 'came out' at the Disruption and the majority of his congregation followed with him. The congregation then became Aberdeen, St Columba's Spring Gardens (Gaelic Chapel) Free Church. The charge passed to the United Free Church in 1900 dropping 'Spring Gardens' from the name. A union with Aberdeen High took place in 1907 with some services still being conducted in Gaelic; the united charge keeping the name of Aberdeen High. In 1929 the charge passed back to the Established Church, and later in 1935 the congregation was transported to Hilton new housing area, and as a consequence was then termed Aberdeen, High Hilton Church of Scotland. The oringinal High Church was sold and services were initally held in the Hilton Hall until a new church was opened and dedicated on 30 September 1936. A further union took place with Aberdeen Middlefield in 2020, the united charge keeping the name of Aberdeen, High Hilton. High Hilton church was retained as the place of worship of the united charge; Middlefield Church having been closed on 30 June 2019.
It should be noted that in 1900, although the majority of the congregation joined the United Free Church, there was a minority who did not wish to. These anti-union members engaged in legal action to have their position recognised and their sole right to the property of the Free Church. At the end of the case which took place between 1901 and 1902, the Scottish Courts returned a unamimous verdict againt the claim of the Free Church. However, in 1904 the House of Lords reversed this decision and finally ruled in favour of the anti-union minority and thus secured its legal right to their church properties. In the case of Aberdeen, St Columba's Free Church the church building at Dee Street was allocated to the minority and they worshipped there until 1977 when there was an opportunity to acquire the Bon Accord Church on Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen. |